3 China-developed ARJ21 jetliners delivered to airlines

Three ARJ21 regional passenger planes were delivered to major domestic airlines on Sunday in Shanghai, marking the homegrown jetliner entering the domestic, mainstream civil aviation market.

ARJ21 jetliners with newly painted liveries are parked at a COMAC assembly base in Pudong New Area, east China's Shanghai, June 28, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

The Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC) delivered the jetliners, with 90 seats in a full economy class configuration, to Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines at the Pudong base of its assembly manufacturing center.

"For the ARJ21, the delivery to the three major airlines means that this aircraft can enter our country's mainstream civil aviation market. Its market development, route adaptability, and passenger awareness will be greatly improved," said Zhang Xiaoguang, director of the marketing & sales department of COMAC.

To date, COMAC has delivered a total of 32 ARJ21 aircraft.

According to plans, Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines will each receive a total of three ARJ21 planes this year.

The first ARJ21 airplane was delivered to Chengdu Airlines in 2015 and had its first commercial flight on June 28, 2016.